(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 3)

[E-Nazrin]

>What did the first mouse mean by the capturers talking about 'things you're not supposed to eat?' Was it more 'something that's dangerous to try and get' or 'something that's poisonous?' Or was it unclear?

[DracoOmega]

>"Just some questions about the big bad things that came through here. Can you tell me about them?"

>"Big bad things? What big bad things?"
>He sniffs at the cracker in your hand.

>What did the first mouse mean by the capturers talking about 'things you're not supposed to eat?' Was it more 'something that's dangerous to try and get' or 'something that's poisonous?' Or was it unclear?

>You think it's much more the latter. If not strictly poisonous, then something which is intrinsically bad to eat.

[Oldmansour]

>Describe the big, scary, bad-smelling things.

[Hello Purvis]

>"You'd see them with the moo jobs, I think."

[Hanzo K.]

>Describe the big, scary, bad-smelling things.

>As best we can though, given the vague info we got earlier.

[DracoOmega]

>Describe the big, scary, bad-smelling things.

>As best we can though, given the vague info we got earlier.

>A lot of detail that you could put into words for a humanoid audience is lost in translation in either direction. You do your best to put the description in terms the mouse could understand.
>"Oh! I've smelled one!" it squeaks.

>"You'd see them with the moo jobs, I think."

>"They weren't here then. They were elsewhere. Just the bad-smelling thing. It was moving."

[Oldmansour]

>"The bad smelling thing was moving? Which way?"

[DracoOmega]

>"The bad smelling thing was moving? Which way?"

>"That way."
>He indicates north-northwest.

[Oldmansour]

>"Was it coming or going?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Was it coming or going?"

>"Going."

[Hello Purvis]

>"What did it smell like, besides bad?"

[DracoOmega]

>"What did it smell like, besides bad?"

>"It smelled sorta like the little things that smell like it, only more. The little things, that move up and down the grass."

[Hello Purvis]

Sounds like insects, but how to express it properly....

[Oldmansour]

My thoughts exactly.
Just for fun, I'm calling giant ladybug. Either that, or Wriggle.

[Hanzo K.]

Sounds like insects, but how to express it properly....

I was thinking it was insects too. Since the mouse said they climb on the grass, I'm inclined to think Ants.
...Ant Youkai...That's kinda scary. :ohdear:
As for phrasing it....Since cows are moojobs, what do you think insects/ants would translate to?

[Hello Purvis]

Food? Given mice eat pretty much anything, I can't imagine they'd turn down bugs. But who knows?

Also, it's still totally Them.

[Hanzo K.]

Hmm.....Bugjobs maybe?
Yeah I got nothing.

[Oldmansour]

I think it depends on the bug. I imagine mice won't eat anything that they know to be poisonous, and certain bugs certainly are. On the other hand, some bugs aren't, either.
Perhaps.... "Little food with more legs than you."?

[Hello Purvis]

Just little guys with all the legs ought to do.

[Oldmansour]

Let's give that a bash, then.
I just hope you're wrong about Ants, Hanzo. That's just made of creepy.

>"You mean the little things with all the legs?"

[DracoOmega]

>"You mean the little things with all the legs?"

>"Yeah, one of those," he squeaks. "Except bigger!"

[Hanzo K.]

I doubt it, my mom's specialty in school was entomology, so she made it a point to teach me a lot about insects.
But I hope I'm wrong too. Looks like I was right afterall?

Also as an aside, since this just hit me despite it being completely unrelated to our business.
>How many guilders does an Angel-food Cake go for?
No I have not been stuffing my face with angel-food cake all day, no sirree. :V

[Oldmansour]

Oh, peachy. Giant ants. Should've brought Marissa.

>"Well, thanks."
>Give the little guy some nibbles for his troubles.
>Proceed north northwest.
>Keep one hand on a kunai, just in case.

[DracoOmega]

>How many guilders does an Angel-food Cake go for?

>You think the bakery you visited the other day were selling cakes for 4 or 5 guilders.

>"Well, thanks."
>Give the little guy some nibbles for his troubles.
>Proceed north northwest.
>Keep one hand on a kunai, just in case.

>"Sure!"
>You drop the cracker piece onto the ground near the mouse, and without further ado, he scampers up and starts to munch on it.
>You proceed in the direction the mouse indicated, keeping a kunai in hand. Soon enough you arrive back at the river, although quite a bit north of your first visit. There doesn't appear to be anything obviously out of place here. It actually looks fordable at this point, though, if you were careful. There are some smooth rocks cresting the surface and the current is relatively gentle.

[Hello Purvis]

Wait, why'd we leave before asking for more details? Like, how much bigger, and if there were any particularly smart mice around, or if it knew which way they went in particular?

[Oldmansour]

Uh.... Because none of that occured to me. Sorry.
If you wanted to, ignore what I said, Draco, until Purvis is done his interrogation.

Edit: Oh, never mind, he went to bed. Oh well. Anyone else want to go back and grill Whiskers some more or just continue on here?

[Oldmansour]

>No indentations in the ground indicicating a large something passing by?
>Do the stones appear to have been placed in their current positions purposefully?

[DracoOmega]

>No indentations in the ground indicicating a large something passing by?
>Do the stones appear to have been placed in their current positions purposefully?

>There are signs of the ground having been disturbed in the area, although little in the way of distinct trails or obvious footprints. If anything happened here more than a few days ago, it's quite possible rains could have washed away the most distinct signs of it.
>They show no sign of being another other than a natural phenomenon. There are similar rocks here and there along the river, although not usually quite so many in one spot. However, they're not lined up in a suspicious fashion, and crossing would still require care and zig-zagging.

[Oldmansour]

>Hop, skip, and a jump across the river kwai before us.

[DracoOmega]

>Hop, skip, and a jump across the river kwai before us.

>You make your way across the river, carefully stepping from rock to rock and sometimes making a small jump where the distance is too far to simply walk across. Some of the rocks are a little slick, but others poke out of the water far enough to be mostly dry. You manage to make it to the other side without getting soaked.
>You are on the edge of the wood, thick conifers rising up densely nearly at the bank of the river. You are unable to peer very deep inside before your sight lines are crowded out by trees. A think woody scent hangs in the air.